Alchemy is an underrated skill inSkyrim. Despite most players usually going for combat, stealth, and magic,alchemy is a powerful secondary skillto have for stealth archers and even some variations of mage builds. Not only does it allow the creation of powerful potions, but it also helps to save gold by crafting healing potions from scratch.
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However, the tough part about alchemy is that it requires players to gather and unlock ingredients. There are dozens of them scattered all aroundSkyrimand finding just the right one for a specific potion can be a real headache, especially when these items tend to be sold at a high price in alchemy shops. Here are a few locations to visit when looking to restock alchemy ingredients.
Updated June 19, 2025 by Erik Petrovich:Alchemy in Skyrim has the potential to be one of the most useful skills for players, especially those playing at higher difficulty levels. Finding the right ingredients for these potions, though, can be a massive pain if you don’t know where to look. There are lots of locations perfectly suited for harvesting Alchemy materials throughout Skyrim, including shacks out in the wilderness, underground caves, and from merchants all across the province. While it’s perfectly fine to passively collect ingredients, these locations serve as reliable sources of ingredients that are more useful than others. Some merchants, like the Khajiit Caravans, even sell items that can’t be found anywhere else, so be prepared to spend some money if you want something specific.
15Alchemist’s Shack
Players who would rather not wander into a cave can simply go and visit theAlchemist’s Shack located nearby Ivarstead. Just head south of the little town to find this abandoned homein The Rift, with loads of alchemy ingredients inside. The best part is there’s even an Alchemy Lab included.
Several alchemy ingredients can be found here: Spiky Grass, Frost Mirriam, Jazbay Grapes, Scaly Pholiota, Nightshade, Deathbell, Glow Dust, and more. There’s also a random potion inside the hut, so make sure to grab it on the way out.
14Broken Fang Cave
Several fetch-type missions might lead the player to visit Broken Fang Cave. The place islocated near Whiterun, so it’s not too hard to find. Simplyhead southwest from the city, until a rock formationwith a cave entrance appears.
Not only does this cave have a nice, easily accessible central location inSkyrim, it also has some of the rare alchemy ingredients: Human Heart, Vampire Dust, and Frost Salts to name a few. More common ingredients include Bone Meal, Juniper Berries, Jazbay Grapes, and Red Mountain Flower.
13Chillwind Depths
This cave may as well be called the ultimate mushroom cave ofSkyrimfor how many mushrooms it spawns. Chillwind Depths islocated in The Reachand can be found easily whenheading straight south from Dragon’s Bridge.
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There’s a crazy abundance of various mushrooms here. White Cap, Fly Amanita, Bleeding Crown, Blisterwort, Namira’s Rot, Imp Stool, and Glowing Mushroom can be all found here. There are also Chaurus Eggs and Spider Eggs to be discovered.
12Glenmoril Coven
Given that this cave is infested by Hagravens and later the Glenmoril witches, it’s only fitting that it’s filled to the brim with magical alchemy ingredients. It’s best to come here duringthe Companion questBlood’s Honor, which has Kodlak task the player with getting a Glenmoril witch’s head.
The variety of alchemy ingredients is pretty vast here: Briar Heart, Troll Fat, Elves Ear, White Cap, Snowberries, Lavender, Nightshade, Skeever Tail, Bleeding Crown, Namira’s Rot, Slaughterfish Eggs and Scales, and a few others are found here. Glenmoril Coven is found just northwest of Falkreath, in the mountains between the city and Markarth.
11Halldir’s Cairn
From Falkreath, travelsouthwest to find this cavethat might also be a location for a few fetch-type quests inSkyrim. However, visiting it without a reason is equally worth the player’s time given how many alchemy ingredients it packs within.
It might not be the ultimate mushroom cave ofSkyrim, but there are still quite a few mushrooms to be found here: White Cap, Bleeding Crown, Fly Amanita, Blisterwort, Imp Stool, and Namira’s Rot can all be harvested in Halldir’s Cairn.
10Alchemists in Major Cities
One of the most convenient, and most expensive, ways to get ingredients for Alchemy inSkyrimis at Alchemy stores, found in just about every major city. You’ll recognize these stores by their sign which depicts a mortar and pestle with golden smoke coming out. These alchemists often have the most diverse assortment of materials, but they come at a cost - literally.
Just about every Alchemy ingredient inSkyrimcan be harvested out in the open world somewhere, save for those included in Creation Club elements. If you have the gold to spare and really need a specific ingredient, these alchemists are your best bet, but be prepared to spend much more than you think for even basic materials.
9Sarethi Farm
Northwest of Riften, behind Treva’s Watch, is a very special farm that every alchemy enthusiast should visit. Farms in general inSkyrimare incredibly good alchemy ingredient locations since wheat is an essential item for healing potions.
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However, the Sarethi Farm is a special one, since the family of Dunmer is the only group who understands how to grow Nirnroot reliably. Inside the house, there’s also an abundance of alchemy ingredients along withsome potion recipes.
8Arch Mage’s Chambers
Completingthe College of Winterholdquestline should be a top priority for any alchemy enthusiasts. The reason for that is the reward, which is access to the Arch-Mage’s fancy quarters. The Arch-Mage has his own little alchemy ingredient garden, which will respawn ingredients regularly.
There’s a bit of everything here, from Hanging Moss to Deathbells. And with an alchemy lab so close by, it’s really the ideal home for any alchemist. There are also tons of ingredients on surfaces and cupboards, and some premade potions as well.
7Bloated Man’s Grotto
From the Half-Moon Mill, walk northwardto find the Bloated Man’s Grotto, wherethe famous Bolar’s Oathbladecan be found on a Talos shrine. This is a fantastic location not just for the rare sword, but also for alchemy ingredients which are in abundance.
There are Blue Mountain Flowers, Taproots, Hanging Moss, and Mora Tapinella. Due to the number of insects, Blue Butterfly Wings, Butterfly Wings, and Luna Moth Wings can also be harvested. Even Hawk Feathers can be looted here.
6Khajiit Caravans (With The Rare Curios Creation)
The Skyrim Creation Club adds a lot of useful things to the game, including an expansion to Khajiit Caravans with the Rare Curios creation. Rare Curios gives Khajiit Caravans new rotating stock from around Tamriel, including ingredients from far beyond Skyrim that weren’t included in the original version of the game.
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Just like at Alchemy stores, be prepared to part with lots of your gold if you choose to buy from these merchants. Some of these ingredients cannot be found anywhere else in the game, though, and provide much stronger effects than the standard fare (some even have completely new effects). If experimenting with new things sounds like fun to you, be sure to hit up your nearest Khajiit merchant after installing this creation.
